Making the most of a meatball

Published 10:44 am, Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Even the lunch-size portion of spaghetti and meatballs at D'Amico's Italian Kitchen in Rice Village will challenge hearty eaters.

Even the lunch-size portion of spaghetti and meatballs at D'Amico's Italian Kitchen in Rice Village will challenge hearty eaters.

Photo: Syd Kearney

Making the most of a meatball

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Meatballs have been enjoying a renaissance in Houston of late.

City Oven, which opened in the Heights in September, serves some massive meatballs, including a chipotle-sauce-stuffed ball that is served over mashed potatoes. Stop by on Mondays, and you can get two meatballs for the price of one. (Not that you need two … one is a lot of food.)

At BRC, a small skillet of macaroni and cheese comes topped with a big meatball that's been smushed and topped with Sunday gravy (that's Italian for tomato sauce).

My favorite meatball can be found at D'Amico's Italian Market Cafe, which has been serving hearty Sicilian fare for more than 30 years. Restaurateur Nash D'Amico, along with cousins Damian and Tony Mandola, is part of Houston's first family of Italian fare.

The D'Amico family's generously portioned meatballs are fork-tender and well-seasoned. And it's such a comforting bite, like big hug from your grandmother. The meatballs are served atop house-made spaghetti with a copious amount of red sauce.

The original D'Amico's Italian Market Cafe in Rice Village is an old-school combination of restaurant, deli and speciality grocery. The recently opened Katy store, which the D'Amico family partnered with Houston-based Hospitality USA to open, feels appreciably more upscale. Located on the central green of La Centerra at Cinco Ranch, the restaurant already is a hit with Katy families weary of chain dining.

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